Downwind
Freedom - The ultimate gliding sensation.
Think about the times you’ve closed your eyes and mind surfed a wave. Maybe you were sat watching a displacement wave on a ferry as it came into port.Maybe on a stormy day you’ve watched waves run into your favourite spot but only to be met with a mega high tide and the waves just don’t break how you want them to.
Now imagine being able to ride those swells as across the water..this is the principle behind Downwind foiling
The wind creates our waves with energy and this energy can be tapped into by the Hydrofoil. When Swell-generated waves are mixed with normal sea waves board rides between 30-50 miles have been recorded and achieved by Hawaiian watermen -Kai Lenny and other downwind foil specialists.The opportunities for this element in the UK are un-tapped and open for you to discover.
〰
The unridden realm .
Generally to downwind foil it’s the conditions which will dictate whether you’re paddling downwind or flying !
The windier the better is the go …but the direction and size of the bumps also have an important role to play .
Small short range fetch waves driven by strong wind will be close together and don’t hold a huge amount of energy. A shorter mast will enable the foil to tap into this energy just below the surface and get you up and foiling easier.
Long range swell will contain more energy below the surface and therefore a longer mast will give the rider more control in staying on foil without possible breaching the wing, as surges of energy can quickly mean you are high mast and breach throwing you off a shorter masted foil.
The larger the Front wing the foil has the easier it will be to catch wind driven lumps and bumps, However some foil wings have a been designed with efficiency as well as lift. (high aspect ratio wings) These HA front foil wings give Improved top end speed and control in ‘over winging’ (breaching) however their low speed lift suffers.
This is why there is really no given rule on what size front wing is needed . Rider weight and skill has a large part to play.
Reach out to us about your ideal DOWNWIND FOIL BOARD SETUP , we have lots of experience and if you want to get into this discipline in the united kingdom we are based in south wales in Swansea. We have some accessible routes where we can help you break the back of this sport .
Click on this slink to look at our boards DOWNWIND SPECIFIC FOIL BOARDS
